Deciding title:
Consider of the linking between my final major project and the essay, I chose to write something about the connection of depression and art. As my final major project is about the illness of smiling depression, which is to be happy in front of people, but to suffer from depression inside. As I knew that Van Gogh was one of the artists who suffered from depression and he is one of the examples I would use, this made me to limit the title from 18th century, otherwise, it will be too wide to talk about. So the title would be How has depression been expressed in Art since the 18th century.
Construction of introduction:
I had watched some information about depression, which I had already watched some in my final major project research. This time I mainly watched the definition of depression and the percentage of people suffering from them. Also, in my opinion, art has allows depression patients to express themselves through colour and the understanding of art. In case of depression, most of them are unable to communicate with others but using the way of drawing they can show actually what they are thinking. And Clare told me a similar situation, which was Art Therapy. I think it was actually what I wanted to mean, so I also added it as a reference.
Construction of Major Topic Paragraph 1:
As planning I first looked at example of Van Gogh, I watched several websites to give myself more understanding of his situation. As he was the beginning and inspiration of my essay that I decided saying 18th century because of him. But it was fun to know more about an artist, improving my knowledge and also gaining inspirations for my project. I selected mostly quotes about Van Gogh’s words, his attitude to the illness, also the fact that he was suffered from different illness to make my point stronger.
Construction of Major Topic Paragraph 2:
This paragraph is planned to look at modern artist, I found one of them on Google, which was a website introducing an artist who had strong presentation on her brush mark. And she spread all her sadness onto the works, which I think this fit to my topic. Another one was an internet illustrator I followed since 2015. I think his/her example was very powerful that not from any words, just from the illustrations selves, the viewers notice his/her illness.
Construction of Major Topic Paragraph 3:
This paragraph was quite confusing me that should I add it or shouldn’t I. This one was basically about how serious is it to have depression, and bring out the topic of my FMP project, which is smiling depression. I used an example of a news of Chinese student committed suicide because of smiling depression, it was a sad news. While I looked at it during fmp research, I was emotionally touched and become quite down that day. And this was why I want to put out this example strongly. Because when people hear the features of smiling depression, most of them will not take it serious and see it as a joke, like they also have it. So I want to tell them what is depression and how it feels.
Construction of Major Topic Paragraph 4:
This paragraph was aim to show depression also affect social media. I used a game as my example, which is Neverending Nightmares. The creator of this game also had depression, and I found out some quotes about his words, like what was the game aiming for and what was his feelings (to have depression). There was an important message that he said that making game was actually helping with his illness, which linked to my introduction, Art Therapy. I also mentioned something similar in paragraph 3 that people fix their depression by finding an interest to move away from the pain. I quite like the game myself, all the scenes was quite horrifying, and I like the message that you might see a scary game, but in people who are suffering from depression, these scenes are like their experience. And I agree one of the words from the creator, which is “games can be powerful, not just fun” (‘NEVERENDING NIGHTMARES’ AND THE HORRIFYING SIDE OF DEPRESSION, takethis.org).
Construction of Conclusion:
I looked at some paragraph about depression and artists for this paragraph and I explained the relation between them in my opinion.
Information I looked at, Bibliography:
Mind. 2016. Depression. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/depression/#.WNOQqcdHuE8. [Accessed 23 March 2017].
Counselling Directory. 2016. Mental Health Facts and Figures. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/stats.html. [Accessed 25 April 2017].
The british association of art therapy. 2017. What is art therapy?. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.baat.org/About-Art-Therapy. [Accessed 25 April 2017].
Brainpickings. 2017. Van Gogh and Mental Illness. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.brainpickings.org/2014/06/05/van-gogh-and-mental-illness/. [Accessed 25 April 2017].
Theartstory. 2017. Important Art by Vincent van Gogh. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.theartstory.org/artist-van-gogh-vincent-artworks.htm#pnt_4. [Accessed 25 April 2017].
Mymodernmet. 2012. Artist Copes with Depression Through Powerful Paintings. [ONLINE] Available at: http://mymodernmet.com/margarita-georgiadis-paintings/. [Accessed 25 April 2017].
Margarita Georgiadis. 2012. Compulsion. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.margaritageorgiadisart.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=185090632. [Accessed 2 May 2017].
Escape into Life. 2010. Margarita Georgiadis. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.escapeintolife.com/painting/margarita-georgiadis/. [Accessed 2 May 2017].
Pixiv. 2008. Blank. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?id=53928&type=all&p=6. [Accessed 2 May 2017].
Mind. 2014. Living with depression: my experience. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/your-stories/living-with-depression-my-experience/#.WNOS0MdHuE8. [Accessed 23 March 2017].
Psychology Spot. 2017. Smiling Depression: When sadness hides behind a smile. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.psychology-spot.com/2015/02/smiling-depression-when-sadness-hides.html. [Accessed 23 March 2017].
Lookarticle. 2017. Distressed! 20 year old Chinese female student suicide, “smile depression” may be on us. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.thechinesenews.net/Well-being-Issue/25384.html. [Accessed 23 March 2017].
Botan's Drawers 